Cingular Blocking Freeconference.com Numbers

I tried a Freeconference call number today, tipped by my buddy Chris that many of their numbers are being blocked by Cingular. Yes. Got some misleading announcement.

At Freeconference.com I read that, yes, indeed, Cingular and other phone companies have opted to block calls to Freeconference. So I am posting this open letter, based on their suggestion:

I object to the recent actions by AT&T/Cingular, Qwest, and Sprint to block calls to selected conference call providers and rural telephone companies. I do not believe they are operating within the law, the public interest or the terms of my existing telephone contract with them. I demand the right to:

1) access all legal long distance numbers from my land line or cell phone
2) use the conference calling service of my choice from my land line or cell phone
3) choose and have access to legitimate, publicly available services via my land line or cell phone

My business will be severely impacted if I do not have access to conferencing services that are free with the normal cost of a long distance call (which already compensates these carriers for my call). I cannot/refuse to pay the exorbitant rates charged for conferencing services by large conference service providers such as AT&T.

I guess everyone else knows about this, but I was too busy fooling with my studio apartment last week to pay close attention to the news.

tags: cingular, qwest, att, freeconference

Comments

[KB]

I concur. This is total hogwash. Why are they doing this?? I'm still burning my minutes away, is it because we don't use "their" pay conference services. I couldn't get thru on my Cingular cell phone, and now I can't get thru on my Comcast home phone line through the internet.

[phil]

I'm not into VoIP that much; I just receive a couple of newsletters so I can keep an eye on it, but I _/do/_ care about freedom of commerce (among other freedoms), and as U point out, the carriers have already been compensated. Legally, they can block U from placing obscene phone calls, harrassing calls, and the like, but otherwise are _/contractually/_ obligated to connect your phone calls, _/regardless/_ of content.

From what I've read, contract law is a pretty big club. If it were me, I would check my contract _/really closely/_ to see if it might be within the realm of possibility to sue for breach of contract. I don't usually care for class-action suits, but that might be a way to defray legal costs, and maybe even an enticement to the attorney to deal with U at low or no cost (only attorneys win in class action suits, but they're a dandy club).

[Gregor]

They are risking a fine from the FCC. This probably violates common carrier laws.

[David]

I would join a class action suit...I've had my access to freeconference.com interrupted by Cingular/AT&T.

[Len Abbazia]

Stowe,

In response to the outpouring of support from bloggers, industry thought leaders, consumer interest groups and the media, FreeConferenceCall.com has created a special web site --http://blog.freeconferencecall.com/Default.aspx -- to set the record straight on the call blocking and law suits being leveraged by the major carriers including Cingular/AT&T Wireless and Sprint/Nextel. This site includes links to current blog postings, blocking FAQs, forum for visitors to blog, and, most importantly, a "Know your Rights" section directing people to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) web site so customers fully understand how their rights are being violated. The Know your Rights section includes links to learning about current FCC regulations, filing a complaint with the FCC, contacting your state attorney general and reading about historic cases that refute the claims of the telecommunications carrier "Goliaths." FreeConferenceCall.com is also encouraging site visitors to subscribe to a list to join the fight in a class action suit.